• Question: if you was to give a student a reason to become a scientist, what would you say? and how would you help them get there?

    Asked by to Nat, Nate, Roberto, Sam, Sarah on 16 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Sarah Casewell

      Sarah Casewell answered on 16 Jun 2014:

      If you really like science, and finding things out about the world then I’d say go for it!

      Advice wise- you have to really be interested in the science, and be prepared to specialise. None of us are experts in everything in all astronomy, let alone science! I think the best advice is to talk to people who are scientists about what they do and their day and see if you still want to do it. You can also chat to University admissions staff about A-level choices etc – to do a physics degree you need both physics and maths at A-level, so make sure you’re making sensible choices about this sort of thing.

    • Photo: Roberto Trotta

      Roberto Trotta answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      I would say that you should go after the job that you are most passionate about! There is no point in spending so much of your life doing a job you don’t like. If you really like something, and especially science, you should give it a go and see how far it takes you!

      The most important piece of advice is: don’t be afraid of the future. You should approach your studies and your career with optimism — don’t let other people’s opinion stop you from taking a certain path in you career if you think this is the right one for you.

      The other important thing is to chat to lots and lots of people. Talk to them about their experience. See how they became what they are today. Learn from their mistakes. And then do your own thing.

    • Photo: Natasha Stephen

      Natasha Stephen answered on 18 Jun 2014:

      The best reason to become a scientist is that you are interested in science and passionate about it! If you have the enthusiasm and passion for something, that is half the work done for you as it will make everything else seem so much easier!

      To help them get there, I would encourage them to stay as involved as possible with science. If there is a science club at school then that is a good place to start. Ask lots of questions whenever you get the opportunity and always go looking for answers. If you’re not happy with one, ask again! Science is all about discovery and sometimes we have to keep trying something over and over again before we get it working.

    • Photo: Nate Bastian

      Nate Bastian answered on 25 Jun 2014:

      One part of being a scientist that is often overlooked, is that you get the chance to travel around the world, meeting interesting people from different countries, backgrounds, and perspectives, and work together to solve problems. Since I began my studies, I’ve lived in 5 countries, and visited about 30 more to work with researchers there or go to conferences. And if you become an astronomer, you also get to go to places like Chile, Hawaii, and Australia to go observing!

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